Estimated Cost of Attendance
The cost of attendance (COA) is the cornerstone of establishing a student’s financial need as it sets a limit on the total aid that a student may receive. The COA is an estimate of a student’s educational expenses for the period of enrollment. Individual budgets are not established, but a COA is assigned based on various categories.
| 2012-2013 |
Dependent Parent/Home* |
Other** |
Independent Parent/Home |
Other |
| Tuition |
*** |
*** |
*** |
*** |
| Books/Supplies |
1000 | 1000 |
1000 | 1000 |
| Room | 0 | 7200 | 0 | 7200 |
| Board | 4204 | 4204 | 4204 | 4204 |
| Transportation | 2328 | 2328 | 2328 | 2328 |
| Medical | 0 | 0 | 1226 | 1226 |
| Personal/Misc | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 |
*Parent Home category indicates you will live with your parents.
**Other indicates you will live in an apartment or one of the Residence Halls. The amounts shown for Room and Board are estimates using the highest priced UWM housing and meal plans. For actual rates visit University Housing.
***Tuition/Fees: Please substitute the appropriate tuition. The Financial Aid Office is using the estimates as listed in the ESTIMATED ANNUAL TUITION CHARGES chart below.
| 2011-2012 |
||
| Resident Undergraduate Tuition* |
Based on 12-18 credits both semesters | $9,380 |
| Non-Resident Undergraduate Tuition* | Based on 12-18 credits both semesters | $19,088 |
| Resident Graduate Tuition | Based on 8 or more credits both semesters | $11,524 |
| Non-Resident Graduate Tuition | Based on 8 or more credits both semesters | $24,412 |
Other Categories should refer to the Bursar's Office website for the most recent Fee Schedule, http://www4.uwm.edu/bfs/depts/bursar/ .
*Includes an average charge of $65 per semester in Differential Tuition cost.
| 2012-2013 |
||
| Average Stafford Loan Fees | Undergraduate | $66 |
| Average Stafford Loan Fees | Graduate | $142 |
| Average PLUS (Parent Loan) Fees | $464 | |
| Average GRADUATE PLUS Fees | Graduate | $424 |
Please note that these are standard budgets based primarily on averages. If your tuition/fees, including Differential Tuition or other educational related expenses, exceed the standard budget amount, your budget can be reviewed and possibly adjusted based on documentation you submit.
See the links below for a printable version of the current year’s Estimated Cost of Attendance as well as prior years (which are sometimes needed for tax purposes.)
In addition, Financial aid regulations also allow an increase in the COA for:
- The documented rental or purchase of a personal computer.
- Costs expected to be incurred for dependent care for a student with dependents.
Documentation must be submitted to our office in order for these costs to be considered. Please note that, although this may allow us to increase your COA, that does not mean we would be able to offer you any additional financial assistance. However, it may allow you and/or a parent to request additional loan assistance through a Parent PLUS and/or Private Educational Loan to help pay for those expenses. Please review the links to the required documentation for additional information:
Calculating Your Amount Due or Your Excess Cash by Semester
You will need to determine whether the financial aid you have been offered is sufficient to cover your educational expenses once you determine your own individual budget.
Determining Need
Federal methodology (FM) is used to determine an applicant's eligibility for aid. The Federal Government mandates formulas which measure a family's ability to pay for a post secondary education. Your EFC (estimated family contribution) is calculated using the information provided on the FAFSA.
The equation for determining need is:
Cost of Attendance - Family Contribution (determined by FM) = Financial Need (a student is eligible for this amount in need based financial assistance.)
The financial aid award assumes the student will be paying full-time fees. If this assumption is not accurate, the offer may be reduced. A student must be enrolled at least half-time to receive aid (except for PELL grant assistance.)